A 21-year-old Melbourne man, who allegedly drove after drinking beer and taking the drugs ice and valium before colliding with an off-duty policeman, was on his way to visit his newborn son, a court has heard.

Jesse Reid has been charged with culpable driving causing the death of Detective Senior Sergeant Victor Kostiuk, 59, who was struck and killed by a car during a charity motorbike ride in honour of fallen police members.

When asked by the magistrate why he should be released on bail Reid, who was not represented, replied 'I'm sorry.'

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Jesse Reid, 21, (left) has been charged with culpable driving causing the death of Detective Senior Sergeant Victor Kostiuk (right) after allegedly hitting the off-duty policeman who was on a memorial ride honouring fallen police members near Orbost in eastern Victoria

Reid was on his way to visit his newborn son, a court has heard

He was denied bail and is due to appear again on January 23 in Bairnsdale Magistrates Court, with Reid's father agreeing he would be safer behind bars.

His partner gave birth to the couple's first child on the same day as the crash, however, Reid, has not seen his newborn son.

Reid was driving to Melbourne from Merimbula in southern New South Wales when he found out his girlfriend had gone into labour, and allegedly had been driving at up to 180km/h during the trip.

Major Collision Investigation Unit Detective Phil Frith told Latrobe Valley Magistrate Court the 21-year-old had stopped to smoke ice and drink beer before getting his friend to blow on an ignition interlock device to get his car to start.

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Mr Kostiuk was travelling west along the Princes Highways, near Orbost in Victoria's east on Friday at around 2.20pm when a car veered onto the opposite side of the road and collided with his bike.

The young man had allegedly been travelling at almost 140km/h when he hit the policeman, and his teenage passenger later told police his speed could have been as high as 180 km/h during the trip - according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

As a result of the collision, Mr Kostiuk died at the scene.

The memorial ride was temporarily stopped before its participants - including Mr Kostiuk's son Felix - resumed with a 'determined mood'.

The memorial ride was temporarily stopped before its participants - including Mr Kostiuk's son Felix - resumed with a 'determined mood'

Mr Kostiuk (pictured) was riding with his son just ahead of the Wall to Wall ride to the National Police Memorial in Canberra to honour fallen police members

Mr Kostiuk was a 'well respected' expert in the field of preventing family violence and had also worked in CIU and homicide.

Victoria Police Acting Chief Commissioner Shane Patton said Mr Kostiuk, who had been an officer for about 40 years, was a fantastic member of the organisation, ABC reported.

Mr Kostiuk had recently been made head of the Somerville Family Violence Unit.

Mr Kostiuk had recently been made head of the Somerville Family Violence Unit before the memorial motorcycle ride (pictured)

'He was really chuffed just the other day to have been recently appointed back to the rank of detective senior sergeant, something he was particularly proud of.'

He said the family were 'clearly shattered'.

Police implored road users to take care after a 'tragic, tragic' 24 hours in country Victoria, with four people dead in separate road incidents.

The memorial Wall to Wall ride to the National Police Memorial in Canberra honoured fallen police members (pictured)